Hailed by the Boston Globe as an artist who “beautifully merges the worlds of serious jazz and pop”, Misha Piatigorsky’s blend of powerful melodies with an unusual harmonic sensitivity gives his sound a deeply personal yet cosmopolitan dimension, reflecting his experience as a Russian-Jewish émigré growing up in urban America.

Misha Piatigorsky takes the stage at the fabled ZINC Bar in New York’s legendary Village leading The Sketchy Orkestra in an unconventional performance. The piano trio will be galvanized by an 14-piece chamber string ensemble and will deliver the inventive sound Piatigorsky is famous for, in two “house concert” sets: at 9PM and 11PM on Friday, October 23, 2015.

Misha’s long-running residence at ZINC channels the powerful simplicity that made the jazz piano trio into a standard of its own. The winner of 2004 Thelonious Monk Composers Competition, his performances offer unadulterated emotion and musicality, whether in original compositions or arrangements of Bowie, Beatles, or Sting classics alike. It’s a glimpse into the studio and the mind of the artist: the experience that made the previous Session of The Sketchy Orkestra – “Sketchy Black Dog” – a thrill for audiences around the globe in clubs and concert halls alike.

Current Session — “Reflection” — brings a posse of string players — seven violins, four violas, and three cellos — to reinvent the essential trio sound. Just like each Orkestra Session, it starts fresh with new performers working on a new theme. But two things remain untouched: the musical vision of Misha Piatigorsky and the virtuosity of musicians he selects.

The Sketchy Orkestra brings together those who refuse to be bound by the conventions of genre. Under Misha’s artistic direction, they work with a spectrum of material from classical, jazz, and rock to develop a truly original sound. In this pursuit of sonic novelty, their motivation is simple: to create an original experience for the audience that fuses the inspiration and craft of the Orkestra. As Misha puts it: “we just want to play the best music”.

The Sketchy Orkestra: Reflection performs 10/23/2015, 9pm and 11pm (evening of two sets, no repeats).They are hosted by the historic ZINC Bar located in New York City’s Greenwich Village at 82 West 3rd Street between Thompson St and Sullivan St. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the door.